Problem of inequality
-Labour market inequality once seen as a class issue
-Role of unions
-Social mobility an important issue within public policy
-Shared characteristics such as: race, geder, age, sexual orientation and disability
Direct discrimination
Unfair discrimination that arises where someone is treated less favourablly in employment on account of their race, sex etc
Indirect discrimination
Unfair discrimination that arises where a condition if employment is applied that results in a worker being treated less favourably than others on account of thier sex, race, etc.
Positive action
Measures designed to correct the under-representation of certain groups of workers through interventions which help their employment prospects (eg training and development)
Positive discrimination
Measures designed to correct the under-representation of certain groups of workers giving them preferential treatment. Illegal. in the UK
Approaches to inequality: Liberal
-Attempting to ensure that all people are giiven equal treatment regardless of thier social characteristics.
-Using formal procedures across recruitment, promotion and selection that encourages managers to do this
Approaches to inequality: Interventionist
-Greater emphasis on the direct influence of outcomes, not processes
-Makes use of positive action but not positive discrimination
-Different elsewhere such as Norwegian gedner quotas on company boards, evlauated as ‘neither a disaster nor a disrupter’
What are the 3 primary types of regulation within ER
- Statutory
- Civil
- Joint
The Gender Pay Gap
-Calculated as a percentage difference between men’s and women’s median hourly earning across all jobs in a defined sector, age group, occupation etc
-Not a measure of the difference in pay between men and women for dowing the same job
-Slowly falling
Gender pay gap by age/job type
-Overall pay gap for full-time employees is 8.9%
-Gap for all employees is 16% driven by more women working part time (lower paid)
-Gap for full time employees is close to zero
State regulation of Equality
-Steady growth of anti-discrimination legislation since 1960s
-Equal pay act 1970
-Sex discrimination 1975
-Race relations 1976
-Disability 1995
-All amalgamated into the Equality Act 2010
Equality Act 2010
-All employers must consider ‘reasonable adjustments’ for disabled
-An employer can take positive action to help employees
-Public sector euqlaity duty to prevent and eliminate discrimination
-Employer gender pay gaps published
-Employment rights bill, creating plans to promote gender equality
Regulation of equality legal compliance
- Enforcement through tribunals and courts
- Soft law - codes of practice
Civil regulation: Single employer policies
-Equality and Diversity
-Compensating for past discrimination
-Adapting employment to diverse needs
Pros of positive discrimination
- Promotes equality of opportunity
- Encourages diversity
- Social justice
- Role models
- Breaks cycle off exlusion
Cons of positive discrimination
-Percieved unfairness
-Risk of tokenism
-Stigma and resentment
-Legal and ethical issues
-Doesnt adress root causes
Civil regulation: Multi-employer policies
-Employer forums, prioritises balanced boards, flexible working, equal pay
-Awards, organisations apply for accreditation by demonstrating as assessment of gender equality, four year improvement plans and developing their organisational strucutre
Factors explaining the gender pay gap
- Occuptational segregation
- Part-time work and career breaks
- Discrimination
- Differences in negotation and pay setting
- Difference in expeirence
Should the state adress the pay gap: YES
- promotes fairness and equality
- Reduces structural barriers
- Boosts economic growth
Shpuld the state adress the pay gap: NO
- Costly for businesses
- Market forces should determine pay
- Risk of tokenism
How can the state adress the pay gap?
- Mandatory reporting
- Equal pay legislation
- Family firnedly rights
- Support childcare and work life balance
What is statutory regulation?
Rules and standards that are created and enforced by law
What is civil regulation?
Rights that are enforced by individual employees bringing claims against thier employer
